Fatigue Symptoms and Respiratory Muscle Strength of Onco-hematological Patients in Chemotherapy

Abstract

Introduction: When exposed to chemotherapy, the onco-hematological patient is susceptible to several physical and respiratory complications, associated with side effects of these substances. Objective: Evaluate the impact on respiratory muscle strength when compared to the levels of normality and symptoms of fatigue of onco-hematological patients during chemotherapy treatment. Method: Observational cross-sectional study performed trough a social demographic questionnaire and manovacuometry with analogical device. Results: The study population consisted of 19 subjects, 57.9% women and 42.9% men. The average age was 51.3 years old. The predominant diagnoses were leukemia, followed by lymphoma and myeloma. Among the complaints, dyspnea was present in 31.6% of the cases, chemotherapy was the protocol of choice for all the participants. During the evaluation, 52.6% reported tiredness, and among them, 70%, claimed they feel better when at rest, followed by 50% precluded from performing their daily activities. Ex-smokers represented 70% of the study population and 84.2% did not practice physical activities. 62.4 % of the sample presented normal respiratory frequency, with the apical breathing pattern and predominant slender thorax. Significant results were observed in decreasing MIP and MEP with statistically conclusive values of p<0.001 for the two variables. Conclusion: The disease, the treatments and the hospitalizations this population was submitted provoked the reduction of the respiratory muscle strength and increase of the fatigue symptoms.